Limited statutory audit for law firms in Vouvry: rules, deadlines, best practice
Limited statutory audit for law firms in Vouvry raises the same questions for most Swiss SME owners: which obligations apply, which deadlines are running, which documents to prepare. This page covers the federal rules in force — without unnecessary jargon.
Year-end closing: how the mechanics work
Depreciation follows rates accepted by tax practice (property, machinery, IT): staying within those ranges avoids reassessments. Exceeding them is justified — and documented, in Vouvry as anywhere.
The timetable is tight: accounts drawn up and approved by the general meeting within six months of the year-end. For limited statutory audit, chasing missing documents from January (bank statements, contracts, insurance settlements) avoids the last-minute sprint and auditor reservations.
A well-structured SME chart of accounts
Nearly all Swiss SMEs rely on the standard SME chart of accounts (Sterchi/Käfer): classes 1 (assets) to 9 (closing), with revenue in class 3 and expenses in classes 4 to 6. Using this standard structure makes conversations with your fiduciary, auditor and tax administration far easier.
For a business in Vouvry, the Sterchi/Käfer structure also eases benchmarking: banks and fiduciaries reason on those standard classes to situate an SME's limited statutory audit.
A Swiss SME's accounting calendar
Extensions exist and can be requested: cantonal deadlines for the tax return, deferral of the VAT filing on a reasoned request. But an extension does not stop interest: on VAT, default interest runs from the ordinary due date even when more time has been granted.
Delays rarely come alone: neglected bookkeeping postpones the closing, hence the tax return, hence the recalculated instalments — and the business flies blind for months. Keeping the books current as you go is the only sustainable way to hold every cascading deadline.
The Swiss legal frame for limited statutory audit
AHV audits and VAT audits follow the same logic: start from the documents, trace to the entries, check consistency. A business in Vouvry with a clean audit trail sails through these exercises.
The law also settles the form: accounts may be kept in a national language or in English, on paper or electronically (art. 957a para. 5 CO). That pragmatism lets limited statutory audit run entirely on digital tools — no paper binder is required.
Vouvry: what changes, what does not
Working with a fiduciary from Vouvry no longer depends on geography: the documents of a business in Vouvry are shared online, while the canton Valais keeps its own deadlines for the tax return.
Federal deadlines do not move in Vouvry: VAT within 60 days, salary declaration in January, 10-year record retention — postal code 1896 changes nothing about those rules, only the sender's address.
Frequently asked questions
What are the current Swiss VAT rates?
Since 1 January 2024: 8.1% (standard), 2.6% (reduced — for example food and medicines) and 3.8% (accommodation). Returns must be filed and paid within 60 days after the period ends (quarterly under the effective method, semi-annually under the net tax rate method). These federal rates apply unchanged in Vouvry.
What is the difference between a limited and an ordinary audit?
The ordinary audit applies to companies exceeding, for two consecutive years, two of three thresholds: CHF 20 million balance sheet total, CHF 40 million revenue, 250 full-time positions. Others fall under the limited audit, and those with no more than ten full-time positions on annual average can opt out with all shareholders' consent. These federal thresholds do not depend on the registered seat — in Vouvry as anywhere.
Does MyFiducia.ai work for a business based in Vouvry?
Yes: the platform runs online, the rules applied are federal (VAT, CO, AHV), and the file can be shared with any fiduciary. A business in Vouvry manages its documents, VAT and exports exactly as anywhere in Switzerland.
What is simplified bookkeeping and who can use it?
Sole proprietorships and partnerships under CHF 500,000 of revenue may limit themselves to recording income, expenses and assets (art. 957 para. 2 CO). Once over the threshold — or upon founding a Sàrl or an SA — full accounts with balance sheet, income statement and notes become mandatory. The CHF 500,000 threshold is assessed the same way in Vouvry.
Also worth reading
In neighbouring municipalities
Switch to accounting that keeps itself up to date
MyFiducia.ai automates limited statutory audit for businesses in Vouvry: AI-read documents, posting suggestions, VAT and exports ready for your fiduciary. Try the platform or browse our other guides.
The application is operated in French.